These are some of the new print ads that General Motors will use to hype its all-new 2011 Buick Regal [a.k.a. the N.A. version of the European Opel Insignia] to U.S. buyers. The Detroit automaker agency has readied several messages, including one that says "Listen Closely and You May Detect a German Accent" and another one stating "We Didn't Start With a Clay Model. We Started With the European Car of the Year" - both hinting at the Regal's German roots.

"We want consumers to discover the 2011 Buick Regal as a compelling performance sedan," said Craig Bierley, Buick advertising director. "We are presenting the Regal in a variety of ways that are unexpected and providing relevant personal stories to allow consumers to draw their own conclusions about our newest Buick."

The full advertising campaign with TV spots and print ads in newspapers as well as weekly and monthly magazines, kicks off in July.

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My initial reaction was that this goes against the "Premium American Motorcar" heritage of Buick. On the other hand, Buick is trying to break out of the old, fogey mold that many still associate it with, and being German is not necessarily a bad thing. However, GM hasn't really had a successful history of captive imports.

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The previous Opels like the Catera and Astra bombed, and the similar to Opel, Aura and Sky are dead and gone. I think if Americans want a German car, they will buy a VW or BMW, not a Buick. Trying to emulate the imports isn't the way to success, the key is to build a better car than them.

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That's what I think too. The new Regal isn't being marketed as a little brother to the new LaCrosse. It's being marketed as a sportier alternative. I think the Delta II based sedan will be marketed as a smaller sibling to the LaCrosse (GM has even given it a LaCrosse-esque front end treatment).

To me, the new Regal is GM's attempt at keeping Pontiac buyers from defecting. GM is expanding Buick's offerings to include sportier products to cover the loss of Pontiac. It's essentially giving Buick a split personality. I guess it costs less trying to expand Buick into sportier territory than spending money on marketing both Buick and Pontiac. I hope this endeavor is successful for Buick as well as GM.

Overall, I like the design of the new Regal (as well as its Opel Insignia counterpart). I am not fond of the front end treatment though. The shape and placement of the Buick grille is somewhat reminiscent of the 2008 LaCrosse. I don't like the front end treatment on the Chinese market version of the new Regal either, which is different from the one that we get in the U.S. To me, the Buick grille (on both versions) just doesn't jive well with the existing Opel front end. Just like the Astra based compact Buick sedan (known as the new Excelle GT in China), I think the Regal should have been given its own unique front clip. It's just my opinion and personal preference. I'm sure I'm in the minority on this matter. Other than the front clip, I think it looks great.